This is both my personal learning project and my contribution in the struggle to confront the ongoing Republican/ libertarian assault on rational science and constructive learning, as manifested in their malicious strategic Attacks on Science ~ A collection of articles, scientific resources, plus my own essays and indepth critique of various presentations from unidirectional-skeptics ~ Hopefully a resource for the busy, yet discerning, student who's concerned about the health of our Earth

As we found out in the last election, it doesn't matter that we have a skewered political system, it's what we have and it's still important that massive amounts of citizens participate. If we don't learn to how use it, the radical absolutist christian right certainly does know all the tricks - and they are more than happy to railroad us, given the opportunity, as we certainly have. Citizens, it’s our last chance. What INDIVISIBLE has produced needs to be shared far and wide, which is why I plan to sharing all their videos and hope others will find this helpful. Beneath the fold I have screenshots of the main points. Feel free to copy and share, this information needs to be circulated and utilized.

As we found out in the last election, it doesn't matter that we have a skewered political system, it's what we have and it's still important that massive amounts of citizens participate. If we don't learn to how use it, the radical absolutist christian right certainly does know all the tricks - and they are more than happy to railroad us, given the opportunity, as we certainly have. Citizens, it’s our last chance. What INDIVISIBLE has produced needs to be shared far and wide, which is why I plan to sharing all their videos and hope others will find this helpful. Beneath the fold I have screenshots of the main points. Feel free to copy and share, this information needs to be circulated and utilized.

As we found out in the last election, it doesn't matter that we have a skewered political system, it's what we have and it's still important that massive amounts of citizens participate. If we don't learn to how use it, the radical absolutist christian right certainly does know all the tricks - and they are more than happy to railroad us, given the opportunity, as we certainly have. Citizens, it’s our last chance. What INDIVISIBLE has produced needs to be shared far and wide, which is why I plan to sharing all their videos and hope others will find this helpful. Beneath the fold I have screenshots of the main points. Feel free to copy and share, this information needs to be circulated and utilized.

As we found out in the last election, it doesn't matter that we have a skewered political system, it's what we have and it's still important that massive amounts of citizens participate. If we don't learn to how use it, the radical absolutist christian right certainly does know all the tricks - and they are more than happy to railroad us, given the opportunity, as we certainly have. Citizens, it’s our last chance. What INDIVISIBLE has produced needs to be shared far and wide, which is why I plan to sharing all their videos and hope others will find this helpful. Beneath the fold I have screenshots of the main points. Feel free to copy and share, this information needs to be circulated and utilized.

As we found out in the last election, it doesn't matter that we have a skewered political system, it's what we have and it's still important that massive amounts of citizens participate. If we don't learn to how use it, the radical absolutist christian right certainly does know all the tricks - and they are more than happy to railroad us, given the opportunity, as we certainly have. Citizens, it’s our last chance. What INDIVISIBLE has produced needs to be shared far and wide, which is why I plan to sharing all their videos and hope others will find this helpful. Beneath the fold I have screenshots of the main points. Feel free to copy and share, this information needs to be circulated and utilized.

As we found out in the last election, it doesn't matter that we have a skewered political system, it's what we have and it's still important that massive amounts of citizens participate. If we don't learn to how use it, the radical absolutist christian right certainly does know all the tricks - and they are more than happy to railroad us, given the opportunity, as we certainly have. Citizens, it’s our last chance. What INDIVISIBLE has produced needs to be shared far and wide, which is why I plan to sharing all their videos and hope others will find this helpful. Beneath the fold I have screenshots of their main points. Feel free to copy and share, this information needs to be circulated and utilized.

There’s simply too much to keep up with and not enough time - so please excuse yet another diversion - this time it's for the most constructive thing I've seen in months, the “INDIVISIBLE: PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR RESISTING TRUMP’S AGENDA” it’s the first ray of hope in an long time. Thus I’m once again preempting the scheduled programming for some self justifying thoughts and then on to a closer look at this guide for patriotic American citizens concerned with saving our democracy.

Thursday, January 26, 2017

* EM’s response: Okay, you’ve got me on this one. I did in fact confuse myself between climate science in the media vs the climate science community. I was mainly referencing outlandish claims from Al Gore in “An Inconvenient Truth”by relying on the Republican's outlandish PR fraudster the Lord Monckton - now that's what self inflicted delusion is all about, allow me to explain.

In this continuation of my debate with EM I have allowed him to distract me with SPPI's 35 Errors, Lies and Deceptions contrivance that their "Lord" Monckton has so successfully astro-turfed all over the internet. I will demonstrate that SPPI and Lord Monckton are in fact the malicious liars who ruthlessly politicize the science in order to confuse and stupefy innocents like my pal EM and to further their self-interested myopic and destructive agenda. Here I review points 1 through 4: sea level claims, islands drowning, thermohaline circulation slowdown, CO2 drives temps.

After my introduction

* I will first quote SPPI’s Lord M’s claim.

* Then share Gore’s relevant AIT quotes so you can decide for yourselves how honesty (or not) it was described.

* This is followed with some commentary intended to add perspective to the Lord’s spin to offer ‘the rest of the story’ regarding the issue in question.

* Rounding up the exercise I’ll include authoritative links and some YouTube videos to offer genuine learning opportunities regarding the questions raised.

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Check it out EM, a 1997 review of a little noted book Global Spin. I share it because it's an early look at where the politicizing of climate science actually started. That's followed by a video of the 2007 China-U.S. Climate Change Forum discussing the challenges of communicating climate science and hearing from people across the globe. I finish with a bit of information from NOAA's just released (three hours ago)Global Analysis - Annual 2016 and another from the World Meteorological Organization's 2011-2015 report. You can deny this stuff all you want, yet it remains unavoidable. Learn from this historic perspective.

THIS week, politicians returning from Kyoto may ask their spin doctors what they really decided about global climate change. Many of the world’s largest multinational corporations, meanwhile, will be calculating whether their investment has paid off.

They have been fighting hard to prevent any serious action being taken at Kyoto. Using their immense financial muscle, they are working to undermine the successes of the environmental movement. By coopting a handful of dissident scientists, these corporations and their front groups create the impression that the apparently hardening certainties of global climate change are foundering in a sea of unknowns—despite the consensus among the 2500 climate scientistsof the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

In her excellent Global Spin (Green Books, £10.95, ISBN 1870098676), Sharon Beder traces the rise of this backlash: the funding of think-tanks, the promotion of the “Wise Use” Movement and the creation of an artificial grass-roots movement sometimes dubbed “astro turf”. But perhaps the most insidious technique outlined in Global Spin is the use of the law against individuals who voice their concerns.

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Once again George Monbiot has written a brutally honest article assessing what we (American citizens and voters) have allowed to happen to our government. How we're going to recover from this, I don't know. But, I do know that honestly assessing the situation is a requirement if there's to be any hope at all.

I thank Mr. Monbiot for his permission to repost his incisive article.

Make America Wait Again. That’s what Donald Trump’s energy policy amounts to. Stop all the clocks, put the technological revolution on hold, ensure that the transition from fossil fuels to clean power is delayed for as long as possible.

Trump is the president corporate Luddites have dreamt of; the man who will let them squeeze every last cent from their oil and coal reserves before they become worthless. They need him because science, technology and people’s demands for a safe and stable world have left them stranded. There is no fair fight that they can win, so their last hope lies with a government that will rig the competition.

To this end, Trump has appointed to his cabinet some of those responsible for a universal crime: inflicted not on particular nations or groups, but on everyone.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold a vote on Rex Tillerson’s (the just retired, lifetime EXXON man) confirmation on Monday to head our US State Department and we cannot afford to let up the pressure. {Also make your voice count, call your Senator, below you can find a list of the Foreign Relations Committee members}

In Tillerson’s confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Jan. 11, the ex-CEO of oil-and-gas-giant Exxon Mobil gave an unacceptable series of non-answers on issues ranging from man-made climate change to whether Russia’s Vladimir Putin is a war criminal. He may have even perjured himself by lying about Exxon Mobil’s documented history of lobbying against Russian sanctions.

Tillerson recently left his position at Exxon Mobil with a $180 million retirement package, just two months ahead of his scheduled retirement.1 We don’t need another climate-denying corporate executive in Washington – especially as the nation’s top diplomat.

Friday, January 20, 2017

For starters Trump wants to eliminate all mention of Climate Science and Obama's initiatives. Fortunately, it's too late for that. The records can be found here" https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-record/climate, for the details read on.The muzzling is already beginning.

Trump’s White House Website Now Only Mentions "Climate" in His Plans to Ax Obama’s Policies

Today, the peaceful transition of power took place, with President Barack Obama passing the White House baton over to President Donald Trump.

Behind the glitz and glamor and pomp and circumstance came another key White House transition: the Trump White House has gotten rid of the climate change section of the White House website. The URLwww.whitehouse.gov/energy/climate-change now takes those surfing the internet to a page which “could not be found.”

* You'll have to forgive me for not giving Trump any benefit of the doubt. He has repeatedly shown that he lives within a narcissistic bubble detached from down to Earth reality. I have yet to see the slightest indication he possesses any scruples or empathy. Trump doesn't read and beyond money and marketing appears to know nothing, no history, no science, no geography, no evolution, nor any philosophy beyond,

"The Golden Rule" ~ The man with the gold makes the rules!

No different from a few thousand tribal warlords and emperors who came before, to dominate, destroy, get destroyed. When I was a kid, we had this idea going around that humanity may finally be able to learn from that repetition of historic lessons. How wrong we were. I think my generation lost our focus. We learned to detach and take it all for granted. For the most part we were all too willing to turn our backs on the lessons of the 70s - namely, that we as a global society needed to power down a bit. Less baby making. Wiser resource consumption with an eye toward sustainable systems. (For instance why couldn't tire manufactures lease their tires, then repurpose returning tires? Same with batteries and other such short duration resource rich items? Simple things like that.) Also, incorporating an appreciation for the profound impacts increasing our planet's atmospheric insulation was sure to have on the biosphere we depend on.

Future, long term survival was dependent on a mature appreciation for this planet Earth and the myriad of biological systems and subsystems along with our global climate engine all interwoven in amazing ways. But, fast cars, fast food, kick ass movies and music and sports and fantasizing about having riches and ever increasing profits became all we needed. At best it was a Faustian Bargain.

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

I'm working on EM Debate #14, unfortunately now he attacks Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth with clear-cut nonsense - exposing himself as either very gullible or not the serious student he projects. Since I'm sick of all the stupidity I've come across regarding Gore's IT errors, I'm reviewing the endlessly repeated and mimicked Contrarian Lord's"35 Scientific Errors (or Intentional Lies) in An Inconvenient Truth" - and it's eating up precious hours I don't have near enough of. But, I'll get er done, yet.

In the mean time I came across an excellent letter to Mr. Trump written by "The Press Corp" that’s worth sharing over here - It seems that along with many other America's they have woken up, taken stock of what happened this past year and are now ready to go forward into our self-inflicted frightening new political reality with a renewed sense of purpose and mission.

Welcome back America's once grand Fourth Estate, we certainly need you more than ever, I hope it's not too late.

In these final days before your inauguration, we thought it might be helpful to clarify how we see the relationship between your administration and the American press corps.

It will come as no surprise to you that we see the relationship as strained. Reports over the last few days that your press secretary is considering pulling news media offices out of the White House are the latest in a pattern of behavior that has persisted throughout the campaign:

You’ve avoided the press when you could and flouted the norms of pool reporting and regular press conferences. You’ve ridiculed a reporter who wrote something you didn’t like because he has a disability.

Sunday, January 15, 2017

Here I respond to EM's points #14 to #17, no fireworks, still I found it interesting in that it nudges the dialogue towards the question of 'motivated learning.' For instance, my life long pursuit of Earth and climate learning is driven by my need to understand this wondrous planet I was born into as well as possible. Whereas EM, and I dare say, the entire Republican pursuit of climate science is driven by its threat to their short-term economic/political "interests".

It helps explain why they can so easily ignore the overwhelming evidence in favor of the established scientific "consensus." We are fools not to recognize this. We are but at the beginning of the human fossil fuels burning warming trajectory and unless we rearrange our priorities in a hurry, or there will be hell to pay.

To finish this installment I provide some sources that make plain that infrastructure and life destroying extreme weather events are being driven by an increasingly warming global climate engine and that Republicans minimize the threat at all of our own peril. (Some touch up edits Monday morning)

EM’s point #14, quoting me:If you look at this blog you’ll see plenty of very specific critiques, were I offer objective supporting evidence for my claims. I know what I’m talking about and ignoring my critiques doesn’t make their substance go away.

EM responds: I have neither the time nor the desire to read all of your blog posts, as this site is not easy to navigate and I have other things to do than read through all of your (all pretty much the same) posts.

____________________________________

With all due respect, then you haven’t looked very far. As for quality of presentation, I agree it leaves much to be desired. But I’m no professional blogger, doing the best I can with what I have, in the limited moments I can spare from the rest of my day to days.

__________________________________________________________

EM responds: I don’t argue with the evidence you present; because I’m not arguing AGW’s existence or the fact that rising global temperature is a net-negative for the planet.

____________________________________

Actually you are, in that you are dismissing AGW’s already clear and present impacts on our global society and biosphere.

Thursday, January 12, 2017

Since Colorado’s own Senator Gardner is on the Committee of Foreign Relations and is hearing Rex Tillerson’s nomination I decided to send his staff this open letter that I hope they’ll pass along. I've sent it to our Durango Telegraph as 'letter to the editor' and I want to share it over here. It might help some gather their own thoughts for sending messages to their own senators. It's all we have right now, so everyone that cares needs to make an effort. http://civilrights.org/action_center/resources/calling-congress.html{Sorry about that early posting screw up} It's been noted that mine is not the most diplomatic of openingparagraphs. So be it. It's not like Republicans have been anything but ruthlessly hostile to anyone on the other side of their world outlook divide. Maybe, it's time they stop being so absolutist and progressive types stop being so accommodating !

Please take the time to think about the many objections to Rex Tillerson becoming our country’s Secretary of State.

You’ll note right away that I can be categorized (and discarded) as a “tree hugger” type. Indeed, I have hugged a few in my day. I know too well how my kind is easily vilified and dismissed by Republicans. Still I would beg you to consider the reality that we very much depend on a healthy climate and biosphere for everything we have and love.

No matter what your personal religion tells you about your God, the basic inescapable reality is that we were born of this Earth and shall die back into it. It is a beautiful reality, once you grow to appreciate evolution and understand what a fantastical pageant you are part of.

But, I digress. What I really want to beg of you and your staff to consider is all the reasons Rex Tillerson, great oil-businessman though he may be, he should never be allowed to become USA’s Secretary of State. A position demanding respect for our Constitution and a much broader understanding than a dedicated oil man(42+years), someone who knows nothing but drilling for profits is capable of acquiring. No insult, fundamental reality. Secretary of State requires immensely broad and deep understanding of governmental matters and a different sphere of relevant matter than a pure cold blooded businessman like Rex can acquire.

No matter now many big shot deals he may have closed, he’s unfit for the State Department! Why can’t America at least get an experienced individual? As for ‘outsider’ that just means he doesn’t know what’s going on. That may work in the movies, but this is real life and there’s no going back.

A collection of informative articles about Rex Tillerson and why we should never allow such a single-minded corporate machine to become USA’s Secretary of State. A position demanding respect for our Constitution and a much broader understanding than a dedicated oil man(42+years) who knows nothing but drilling for profits is capable of acquiring. No matter now many big shot deals he may have closed!

Why are supposedly patriotic Republicans so accepting of Tillerson’s oh so cozy, nay intimate, ties to Russia’s Putin, which he is disingenuously back peddling? More importantly Tillerson is a corporate guy who despises our government for interfering with his business dreams. Given the powers of the Secretary of State you can be sure that his objective will not be to uphold his oath and USA's constitution but to rearrange USA from a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, into the Corporation of Amerika, a government fully owned and dedicated to the interests of today’s corporate oligarchs. People who have utter disregard and contempt for anything beyond their own oh so myopic self-interests.

Also consider, Tillerson still deludes himself about the scientific understanding regarding manmade global warming. Yet another issue that should have disqualified him outright - but than what can we do when most Republican politicians are so beholden to corporate money that they themselves remain steadfastly willfully ignorant on an issue that is already inflicting substantial damages to our global economy, infrastructure and its vulnerable citizens. With the guarantee of worse on the way, while we sleep.

I share the following full text of “Tillerson Called Out for 'Lying About Climate' During Confirmation Hearing” thanks to Common Dreams generous “Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License” ~ I also include quotes and links to a variety of articles, listed below:

When pressed by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) about the major charges unearthed by the ongoing ExxonKnew investigation—namely, that the oil company hid evidence going back to the 1970s of how the burning of fossil fuels impacts the climate, and funded misinformation campaigns to spread skepticism about growing scientific consensus—former Exxon CEO Tillerson "essentially pled the fifth," said Oil Change International executive director Stephen Kretzmann.

RECOMMENDED WEBSITES

11/29/2016 I started this blog to debate climate science contrarians, I've done my part, they, the intellectual cowards for their part have run off and hide within their hermetically sealed echo chambers, safe to continue broadcasting more stupidity mixed with anger and hostility rather than constructive learning.

Now this horrendous election. Its changed everything and this blog, not sure where it's going, eventually I need to start another one, one less intent on futility reaching out for what ain't there and more focused on presenting a different perspective for its own sake, and to hell with the rest of it, it's too heart breaking.

I see Dec 19th as a key date. If there isn't serious focused engagement of the public in numbers that surprise everyone, well the oligarch will have their way with us.

Americans need to let Trump know from the gitgo, we do not approve of his con job and he better not get too crazy because he's earned zero good faith or honeymoon considerations. We shall see.

{edited 12/11/2014}

I know there are too many typos, what can I say, eyes aren't what they were, I get rushed, and always did have a thing with transposing…{well, I also hated high school "english" classes... bad call that one.}. Doing the best I can with what I got. Embarrassing though it is, it's better than doing nothing. Besides, it's the issues and reasoning that we should be worrying about.

Though I'm in my own little world here, I'm also constantly learning and evolving and do get occasional feedback and when I reread stuff and find errors or omissions or garbage, I fix it. If it's major I'll acknowledge it with an 'edited' note, minor stuff I don't bother.

~ ~ ~

I hardly keep track of Anthony's latest antics (besides, with Sou on the job why bother - can't beat her insights). It's just me over here and I have more important things to do with my precious hours - still now that Anthony's luster has been wearing thin he's put his energy into discovering and honing new fresh faces to carry on the public show of the Republican/Libertarian strategic attack on science.

He seems to have transitioned into a ring-leader, perhaps mentor/coach would be better, producer? At least that's how Mr. Steele and his antics of the past year has gotten me to think about it. So in that regard this blog remains about WUWT's brand of thinking and logic and my struggle to understand the anatomy of the fraud they've perpetrated against mankind. {December 2014}

_____________________________

ok, now some recommended websites:

This blog was started in April 2013 and is written by an actual scientist so it has a refreshingly serious objective air to it, plus he does a good clear job of explaining complex issues.

Tamino, an acknowledged statistical/mathematical expert of the highest order, at Open Mind also does an excellent job of holding Anthony’s feet to the fire with clearly explained facts and math. Check it out:http://tamino.wordpress.com~ ~ ~

And of course, there is the excellent, most up to date internet depository of climate studies and information for the non-expert public.

Then there's RealClimate.org the scientist's commentary site. Run by working climate scientists intended to help the interested public and journalists sort through the complexities of the climatology. They provide "quick response to developing stories and provide the context" that is too often missing from public media's depiction. {But, you better be serious and have some real science education/understanding under your belt if you want to keep up.}

I remember back in da day, good websites/blogs were few and far between. But over the past years that's been changing to the point that it's impossible to keep up with them all. Here's an incomplete, and long overdue addition to my above list: